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Re: Reader letter: Friend’s emergency room wait was unacceptable, by Hodger Kretschmann, April 22
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My heart goes out to Mr. Kretschmann’s friend. My husband unfortunately knows too well what it means to go to the ER.
Recently, my husband on Easter weekend went to the local ER at 3:30 am He went in a taxi because I cannot drive at night and he didn’t want to wake up our son who lives in Windsor.
My husband has a nephrostomy tube in his remaining kidney and it wasn’t producing urine. This is very dangerous.
Given the fact this was a holiday weekend my husband had to wait until the following morning when an appointment was made for him and a radiologist replaced the displaced tube. My husband was treated very kindly by the person who inserted a new tube.
But I have a lot of questions.
Are the problems with the hospital ER because of the COVID-19 pandemic? Or has the pandemic simply brought the problem to light? Why was there not a urologist on call who could replace the tube?
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Why was it necessary to put my husband, who is 75 years old, through 24 hours of extreme discomfort?
My husband has usually received very fine care at both Windsor hospitals. One emergency room doctor saved his life from him several years ago. I have thanked him personally by letter. He went to great lengths to care for my husband. I will always love him for that.
I’m sure the medical care professionals working during this terrible time have suffered greatly, too. I don’t think they are the problem. They all deserve our appreciation for the very hard work they do to help others.
Who’s responsibility is it to correct a broken health care system? The hospital? The province’s Ministry of Health?
Or both?
Joan M Jolin, Windsor
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